10 Questions for Oculus Rift CEO Palmer Luckey

The Oculus Rift is a stunning virtual-reality headset for gamers. In PopMech's test, we found that "the experience is so immersive that it's actually a bit disorienting." Today, we sit down for a few questions and answers with Oculus Rift founder, CEO, and wunderkind Palmer Luckey.

What makes the Oculus Rift so disruptive to the current gaming market?

The games industry is at the end of a very long console cycle, one that is definitely showing its age. People want a truly next-generation gaming experience, but next-generation consoles are looking to be more of the same. The Rift, on the other hand, is something that clearly brings new things to the table.

What were some of the biggest obstacles in developing the Rift?

Moving the design from the prototype phase and into real mass production. Building a one-off prototype is one thing. Redesigning it into a cost-effective, manufacturable item is another.

What made you choose Kickstarter as your platform for funding the Rift?

Kickstarter is the most visible crowdfunding platform out there, and it was clear that crowdfunding was a good match for the Rift. We knew that there was a passionate crowd of VR enthusiasts out there and that people want to take gaming to the next level, particularly developers. Kickstarter offered a great way to tap into that audience. The project was originally much smaller, but the massive amount of support we got let us scale way up.

What changes will you make as you develop the consumer version?

We do plan on increasing the resolution. We are also working on making it smaller, lighter, and more comfortable. The other important addition we are working on is positional trackingthe ability to sense a player's movement through space.

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Are you planning to expand compatibility beyond PCs?

We are focused on PCs right now, and plan on having Android compatibility as well. They are both relatively open platforms. There is no technical reason that the Rift cannot work on consoles, but doing so requires approval from the console manufacturers.

In an ideal world, what are the top five games you'd make available for the Oculus Rift?

Chrono Break, Fallout 3, Pokemon VR, Bioshock Infinite, Half Life.

Do you think the Oculus Rift will appeal to the casual gamer, or to kids?

Absolutely. There are obvious "casual" gaming applications, but something interesting we have found is that the Rift can make some types of games easier for nongamers to play. Using a gamepad to look around in a game requires a lot of learning, but moving your head around to look at things can be done by anyone. Everyone has that instinctive muscle memory built up. As VR progresses to use natural interfaces such as motion-control technology, it could open up a lot of genres to casual gamers that they have never been able to effectively play.

Are you getting involved with Kickstarter projects for games that want to be compatible with Oculus Rift, like Road Redemption?

Not on any official level. Our main goal is to provide the tools to make VR games and to support developers who are doing so, but with a consumer launch so far away, getting involved in the PR side of these games is not a priority right now.

Do you see any connection between the anticipation for Oculus Rift and the hype around Google Glass?

I think the hype for both is almost entirely separate, at least for now. The common trait is that they are both displays you wear on your head, but the intended uses are very different. The goal of the Rift is to block out the real world and immerse you in a virtual one. The goal of Glass is to integrate bits of the virtual world with the real world. Those two goals might converge into a single device someday, but today is not that day.

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What are some of the major challenges you anticipate in marketing the Rift?

The biggest challenge is getting people to actually try it. Once someone has used the Rift, they tend to instantly get what it is about, and what an incredible technology virtual reality is. Until they do, they tend to have a lot of skepticism. VR has a long history of failure; it takes a lot to convince someone that things are finally different.

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